Texans report: Brown's toe feels better, but status up in air

This is a 2013 photo of Duane Brown of the Houston Texans NFL football team. This image reflects the Houston Texans active roster as of Thursday, June 20, 2013 when this image was taken. (AP Photo)

This is a 2013 photo of Duane Brown of the Houston Texans NFL...

Duane Brown's sprained toe was so sore the Texans concluded it was best that he not even make the trip to Baltimore. But Brown admitted staying home and watching the 30-9 defeat was painful, too.

"That was pretty tough," he said. "We had a lot of mistakes out there that I think caught up to us against a good Baltimore team.

"But it's one game, and we have a very tough team we're facing this week. I think the sense of urgency around here is at an all-time high. We know the position we're in. We still have a very good football team, and I think people need to realize that."

It's somewhere between possible and probable that Brown will be able to go against Seattle on Sunday, although Gary Kubiak said the left tackle only "did a little bit" at practice Thursday and the coach wouldn't make a final decision until Sunday morning.

Brown said he wouldn't be 100 percent but added, "It's recovering pretty rapidly right now. I think it's a little bit ahead of schedule than we previously thought."

Kubiak insisted Brown won't be rushed back into the lineup unless "he can play at his (Pro Bowl) level. We're not going to put Duane into a bad position."

The Texans didn't have either starting cornerback available for practice again Thursday. Kareem Jackson is under the weather, while Johnathan Joseph is dealing with a painful toe sprain. Both are expected to return to work Friday, coach Gary Kubiak said.

Receiver Andre Johnson, who left the Baltimore game with a bruised shin, was limited to individual drills. Kubiak said he'll also be a game-time decision.

"Right now, I feel like I'll play," Johnson said. "I've been feeling better day by day."

Cushing, Carroll swap kind words

Brian Cushing will be squaring off against his college coach at Southern Cal, Pete Carroll, for the first time Sunday.

"He was a real character, as he is now," said Carroll, who left the Trojans to coach the Seahawks after the 2009 season, which was Cushing's last year at USC. "He's a very unique person. He's a tremendously competitive, aggressive kid, an incredible all-around athlete - really one of the best players we ever recruited.

"As a young guy, he was just a real classic Jersey kid - feisty, tough and confident the moment he stepped on our campus."

Cushing said of Carroll: "He was a very influential person at a critical stage in my career and in my life, a guy that's helped me tremendously grow up as a person and a football player."

Wilson, Watt together again

Russell Wilson's only season as the Wisconsin quarterback followed J.J. Watt's tenure there, but they have become buddies off the field after spending time together at last year's Pro Bowl.

The Seattle quarterback suggests the Badgers "probably could have won the national championship" had he and Watt gotten to play together.

"I wish I'd known he was coming," Watt said. "Obviously, I respect the type of guy he is on and off the field."

On the field, Watt said Wilson "is quick, very quick. He's a smart guy. He's a very good quarterback, and he can run. … You just have to make sure you do your best to keep him contained."

Wilson responded in kind when asked about Watt, who was the NFL Defensive Player of the Year in his second season.

"You've got to love what he does on the film," Wilson said. "He's going to make a lot of plays. He's been doing great things (in Houston), but we've just got to try to find a way to control him as much as we can. Being a Badger and going to the University of Wisconsin, I obviously know so much about him."

Rookie switches from LB to end

The Texans drafted Sam Montgomery, a defensive end at LSU, to be an edge linebacker. But now they've gone to Plan B. The rookie is an end again and will be wearing No. 95 instead of 57.

The Texans had been using him at end on the scout team during practice and liked what they were seeing. Gary Kubiak suggested Montgomery's body type is better suited for the position, saying it's going to be easier for him to get heavier than to try to stay light enough to play outside linebacker.

Montgomery arrived for offseason workouts with conditioning issues and then suffered a sprained ankle the first day of camp. He said he'll be more confident playing end but thinks he profited from his brief tenure at linebacker.

"It definitely helped me times 10 when I put my hand down (in the three-point stance)," Montgomery said. "Not only has it helped me to play end, but I also know what all of the four linemen are doing now because I've learned the linebacker position."